Fabric.



a. A. LOWRY.

15mm. APPLIOATIOI IILID APR. 3. 1905.

Patentd Apr. 20, 1909.

. or et the fiiling materia together by suitab ebinder'th1eads. a

. wherein the body To' all wh-bmdt mwg; concem:

Applicationflle April 8y1908. Serin! No. 268,541.

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. LOWRY, a citizen ofthe UnitedStates, residing at Boston, in the county of ,Su-fl olzkand State of Massachsetts, have invented a newand useful Fabric, of whieh the foliowing' is a specifieation.,

This invention relates tofabrics having the body therof compod. of grass,hay, straw, piles, withes, cane, bamboo, or other similar ofsuitable niaterial, and method of making the sam-.

The objeet of the invention is to produce a fabric which is simple in construction, and wherein the bod portion is of even density and thickness t1rougliout, which is yield ing, and presents a smooth, aven bearing surface, and Wherein the employment of needles inappi ing the warp to hold and maintain the integrszlit of the body portion, composing the-same, tog'ether, is aVoided,

A. fwther object of the invention is to roduce a fabrio of the charaeter 1eferre to, Wherein the body Ortion is held or bound plied thereto in a manner to secure an e cienk binding efiect throughout the body portion,

and without any weaving operation in the production of the body portion, and vv1tl1out any stitcbjng or needie operation in the application of the binder threads.

A further object of the invention, in a more. specific statement thereof, is to produce a fabric of the c'haracter referred to, Portion is held or bound together by suitabe binder threads applied in paraliel relation With respect to each other to both sides or surfaces of the body portion of the fabric, and extending in the direction of the length of the fabric, with a transversely extending locking binder thread passed respectivel over and under c0rre spondin parailel binder threads applied respective y to the surfaces of the fabric, and in such manner as to bind or secure adjacent in0iements or portions of the body portion of the-fabric.

A further object of *t he invention is to utilize waste grass, hay, straw, bamboo, cane, withes, or the 1*ike, or similar materiai which is unfit for other use, in the manufactreof usefuf commodities such as mats,

mgs, Car:fibets, matting, or other fabiics.

A furt er object of the invention is to utili-ze, in manufacture o f fabrics of'the classthe construction,

referred to, material of the nature mentioned,.whetliei* such material is first formed or spun into twihe-eondition or not.

Other ob'ects of the invention will more fnliy ereinafter.

The invention e0nsists' appea-l substantiafly in combination, location and mode of operacion, all as will be more fully hereinaiter set .forth, as 'shown in the accompanying drawing, and finally pointed out in the a pended claims.

atented April 20, 1909 Re erring to the accompan} ing drawing,

and to the various views and reference si ris appearing theron,Figure I is a to pan VIW of a portion of fabric constructe in accordance with the Principles of my inventien, and'iflustrating the manner of ap licatinn 'of the bnder threads to the body 1iirer 01. Fig. 2 is a sectiona view of the same. on the line' 2, 2, of Fig. 1 looking in the di1eo tien of the arroWs. Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line 3,. 3, of Fig. 1-, 'looking in the di rection of the a1ToWs. Fig. 4 is a view sinii lar t0 Fig. 1, illustrziting' a modified con-- struction emixaced withm the spirit A and sco e of my invention.

he same part is.designated by the same reference signxwherever it coeurs throughout the severai views.

In various sections throughout the country are vast areas of marslr land upon which rs grown immense quantitiesof marsh grass, and in certain sections of the country throughout wide -areas Vast quantities of StraW'ar produced, especially in the wheabgrowing sections of the country, and Which straw is brned or otherwisedestroyed in order to get rid of it. In other Sections of the country are grown bamboo, cane, Withes, piles, or the like, Which iras been utilized to v a greater or less extent by weaving the same or otherwise producing merchantabi and household comnoditi.

In efforts herctofore made to utilize marsh grass, straw,

and the Hke, the stems, stalks or spears of the grass or straw have been formed into fabrcs, mats, rugs, earpets, and the Jjke. Much the ]Earger part of the vast quantiti s of marsh ass, straw, les, bambou, cane, and the 11' e, swailable or use in the manufacture of nseful and merch&ntable commodifies, is unsuitable for utilization by first spinning or forming the same into twine condition, WhiIe sente, of these m.tefisk rnay be readily formsd or spun into tWino.

twme,- and the twine has been woven into Tlie material Which is unsuitable for.utilimaterial composing the body portion is avallable in practicafly unlimited quantization in this manner, by reason of the joints in the stems, stalks or spears, reqmres preliminary mampulat1on in order to work the same into twine or to weave the twine into fabrics. Moreover, in the production of a fabric of the character referred to, and em loying materials of the nature mentioned,

1t has been the custom to eniploy weaving operations necessitating the use of needle or shuttle mechanisms, by which the twine is first wound into cops, which are inserted in the shuttles which in the 100m mechanisms are thrown back and forth to form the weft portion of the fabric. Ordinarily, twine made from the mateiials mentioned is bulky, and only comparatively small quantities or lengths can be conveniently employed on the cops so employed or used. Consequently it becomes necessary to frequently renew the cops in the shuttles and to splice the ends of the twine forming the Weft ofthe material of the fabric, and hence necessarily reducing the speed of production of the fabric.

In accordance with the principles of my invention, I propose to produce a fabric having a body portion composed of a material, -Whether first formed into twine or not, and of'even thickness throughout, the body portion being efficiently held oi bound together by binding threads, 'without the employment of binding or warp threads, applied thereto in proper manner, and wherein the use of shuttle mechanism to form the weft material may or may not be employed, thereby producing an exceedingly simple,

durable and inexpensive fabric.

In carrying out my invention, I propose to condense the stems, stalks, spears, piles, canes, withes, or the like, into the form of a fiattened mass or inatting of substantially equal thickness and density throughout, and of substantially the ultimate'width of the fabric to be produced, and preferably, though not necessarily, with the stems, stalks or spears, bamboos, canes, withes, or the like, composing the body portion, in

substantially parallel relation with respect to each other, and whether first or preliminarily formed into twine condition or not, thereby forming the body portion of the fabric, and I ropose to suitably unite or bind together t l1e body portion thus formed by ap lying thereto suitable binder or warp thr'ea s, and one of the important features of my present invention is the manner of aiplyin the Warp(or binder threads so as to ment y bind the body portion into an integral iabric. In this manner I produce an exceedingly smooth, sim le and durable -fabric, the body portion of w ich is rendered soft and flexible and yielding, and which may be produced with great economy and in unlimited quantity, ina'smuch as the ties for such use, and at all Seasons of the year.

Referring t0 Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the body portion of the fabric is composed of material of the character referred to, the successive portions of which are designatedby reference sign A. Each portion A of the body of the fabric may comprise one or more stems, stalks, spears, piles, bamboos, withes, canes, or the like, arranged, preferably, though not necessarily, in parallel relation with respect to each other in each bunch or portion A thereof, the successive bunches or portions A being arranged or placed in parallel relation with respect to each other. Applied to each side or surface of the body portion, is a series of binder threads B C, the binder threads B being applied to one side or surface of the body, and the binder threads 0 to the other or opposite side or surface of the body. Thc binder threads B are arranged in parallcl re lation With respect to each other, and extend in a direction transverse to the length of the portions A composing the body, while in similar manner the binder threads 0 are appliedto the 0 posite surfaces of the body, and in parallel relation with respect to each other and with respect to the binder threads B, and transversely across the body portions A, as clearly shown in the drawing. As shown, and preferably, though not necessarily, the binder threads C and B are arranged out of the same plane with respect to each otherthat is, in alternating relation with respect to planes intersecting the portions A of the body at right angles. 'lhe binder threads B C applied to opposite sides or surfaces of the body are locked together and between adjacent body portions A by means of a locking binder thread D, which, as shown, and preferably, is passed over a binder thread B applied to one surface of the body, and thence under the binder thread C adjacent thereto ap lied to the opposite side or surface of the body, thence over the next adjacent binder thread B and under the next adjacent binder thread C, and so on trans versely across the fabric and in parallcl relation with respect to the portions A of the body. It is obvious that this manner of application of the binder threads may be carried out in a most simple and efficient manner by building up the body portion of the fabric by means of successive increments, each increment coinprising one or more of the stems, stalks, bamboos, or the like, and

,whether first formed into twine or not, and

. .been

for frequent renewa aimes thus crossed, th6- lking thread D is assed a .loorn. The binder threadsB C are then retumed or rest'ored .to their initial positions, .being held or locked around the lastincre- .mejit or ortion A of,the body. portion vto be' applied y the locking binder threads D. '.I e nxt increm.ent or portion of the body is then applied or dropped in between the :binder threads when the latter are not .grossed, and the operation above described, of shiftii1 the bmder threads B C into crossed re ation and the application through the;bights ,or cro.tohes formed by the crossed threads o f.the locking thread D, is repeated, (and the 0 ,eration proceeds, thereby successively building up the body portion of the .fabric b successlvel addifig thereto increments o material to O.rm such body portion, andwhether such inerementS are in spun or .twine condition or no In Fig. 41, I have shown a fabric in which the Im aterial forming the body portion is first formed in an-well known manner, into twine condition A, the binder threads B O D remain' V the same as in the example illustrated in Figs. il, 2 and 3, and being applied in identically the same manner, the d1fieronce being that in the form shown in Figs. 1,

2 and 3, the material forming the body por tion of the fabfic is not refiminarfly formed into twine condition, e in the construc' tion shown in. Fig. 4,. such material is first formed into twine condition, and. the succes- I sive additions of increments of the materiaL to form the body portion bein efiected by beiiding successive y back an forth u on itself the twine into wbich the material is st preliminarfly formed. With this operation,

.it is obvious thatthe twine thus bent or dou- V bled back and forth upon itself may be in the form of a large hall, insteadof upon a cap, for a 100m mechanism of the ordinar5 construction, therby not onl avoiding the neceSsity of the cops, but also facilitatin the formation of the fabric, and reducing t le time necessary to efiect the fabric.forming 0 eration,. it being understood that the bin er threads B 0 are shiited or moved into crossed relation With respect-t0 each other over and around each successive str'and of the completed twine, and the looking thread 0 passed through the bights or crotches -formed by the crossed threads B and C, and then the binder threads B and 0 returned or restored to initial position before the twine forming the body portion is again l id in o he body of theabric by boingbet -=ba:k upon itself- ,Of course it .wm bennderstogd na; il the bmder threads B and C are restored to initia positicner ha i.ng barn ,cr9sseql or arranged in crossed relation, and afi;or the ,binding threads are applied, and as elearly shown in the draxingr Consg quently, the -wear imposed upon the fabric in use taken .largely upon..the material formingthe body portion .of the 1abric,

threads D are draW1l down into the bodyqf the fabric between adjacent incr ements thereof, so that they are .protected against Wear, and any break that mightoccur in 'any one of the binding threads B or.C would have but little if any efiect'upon the fabric.

It is obvious that vanously colored binder threads may be employed so as to impart to the finished product any desired or variegated pattern or ornamental appeenancre. -It

w1ll be seen from theforegoing description that I produoe an exceedingly simple and efiicient and econornical f abric,ntilizing waste products for the mlpose, and producin}g a )le.

commodity which 1s soit, pliable and dura Having now set f0rth the objectand naturc of my invention and the method o f carrying the same into practical operation and having specifically described the process for manufacturng and the construction of the article resulting from such process, it is to be understood that althou h the present application is limited to 1; 6 article itself the method or process for producing the same is reserved for a separate application, but

What I 'claim in the present application and desire to secule. b Letters Patent is 1. As a new articib of manufacture, a

fabrio having a body portion condensed or compacted into flattened mat formation, and havmg binder threads arranged in parallel relation with respect to each other and on opposite sides or surfaces of the bod port1on, and having a ortion of the inder threads drawn into t e body of the mat by a locking thread extending transverse to the binder threads and repectively over and un e r threads lying on op der corresponding bin posite sides of the body ortion.

2. As a new article 0 manufacture, a fabric having a body portion composed of portions arranged in parallel relation with respect to each other, bmder threads arrange on opposite surfaces of the fabric and trai1sv verse to the length of the body ortions, and with a portion thereoideflecte between the body portions by locking threads arranged mstead of upon the :bmdmg threads, and in any event the locking "respectivcly d on opposite surfaces of the body and trans verse to the length thereof, the threads on one surface being ofiset with respect to the tirreads on the other surface, and locking threads arranged between the body portions 3 and engaging the binder threads.

.1. As an article of manufacture, a fabric having a body portion composed of portions of uniform th1ckness arranged in parallel relation and within the sarne plane with respect to each other, binder threads a1- ranged on opposite surfaces of the body and transverse to the length thereof, the threads on one surface being offset witl1 res cet to the threads on the other surface, and ocking threads arranged.between the body portions and engaging the binder threads, portions of the binder threads being drawn between the body portions and below the surfaces thereof.

s an article of manufacture, a fabric having a body composed of portions of uniform thickness arranged in parallel relation within the same plane with respect to each other, binder threads arranged on opposite surfaces of the body and transverse to the .length thereof, the threads on'one surface being offset with res ect to the threads on the other surface, and ocking threads arranged between the body portions and extending transverse to the binder threads and respectively over and under corresponding binder threads lying on opposite sides of the body portions.

6. As an article of manufacture, a fabric having a body formed of a continuous strip of fibrous material cf uniform thickness and bent to form sections of uniform lengths located in the same plane with respect to each other, binder threads arranged on "opposite surfaces of the fabric and transverse to the length of the sections, and locking threads arrangd between the sections and engaging the binder threads.

7. As an article of manufacture, a fabric having a body formed of a continuous strip of fibrous material of uniform thickness and bent to form sections of uniform lengths located in the same plane with respect to each other, binder threads arranged on opposite surfaces of the fabric and transverse to the length of the sections, the threads on one surface being offset with respect to the threads on the other surface, and locking threads arranged between the sections and engaging the binder threads.

8. As an article of manufacture, a fabric having a body formed of a continuous strip of fibrous material of uniform thickness and bent to form sections of unifoim lengths located in the same plane with respect to each other, binder threads arranged on opposite surfaces of the fabric and transverse to the length of the sections, the threads on one surface bein ofiset with respect to the threads on tire other surface, and locking threads arranged between the sections and engagingthe binder threads, portions of the binder threads being drawn between the sections and below the surfaces thereof by the locking threads.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of March 1905, in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

- GEORGE A. LOWRY.

VVitnesses WM. M. RHEEM, NATHANIEL L. JOHNSON. 

